Apparatus for playing a memory game

ABSTRACT

Game apparatus comprising a plurality of groups of hollow shells for covering a plurality of playing pieces with the members of each group having a different shape, and a board having defined areas for placement of the shells and the game players attempt to recall which shells are unoccupied by playing pieces. Penalties are imposed upon players who attempt to place playing pieces beneath previously occupied shells, such as the loss of chips to the other players. The game apparatus includes chance means in the form of a die bearing illustrations of the various shell shapes for randomly determining the shell group to be played.

United States Patent Marvin 1. Glass;

Jeffrey D. Breslow, both 01 Chicago, Ill. 792,91 1

Jan. 22, 1969 June 8, 197 1 Marvin Glass 8: Associates Chicago, Ill.

Inventors Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee APPARATUS FOR PLAYING A MEMORY GAME 1 Claim, 2 Drawing Figs.

2,077,010 4/1937 Robertson 3,378,261 4/l968 Schriber ABSTRACT: Game apparatus comprising a plurality of groups of hollow shells for covering a plurality of playing pieces with the members of each group having a different shape, and a board having defined areas for placement of the shells and the game players attempt to recall which shells are unoccupied by playing pieces. Penalties are imposed upon players who attempt to place playing pieces beneath previously occupied shells, such as the loss of chips to the other players. The game apparatus includes chance means in the form of a die bearing illustrations of the various shell shapes for randomly determining the shell group to be played.

APPARATUS FOR PLAYING A MEMORY GAME This invention relates in general to games which exercise the memory and concentration capabilities of the game players. ln particular, this invention relates to game apparatus for concealing playing pieces wherein the primary skill required is observing and memorizing prior game play moves and wherein an element of chance is also present.

Games which exercise the participant's mental capabilities, and particularly those games requiring intense observation of current game play actions, and concentration and memorization of prior game play moves, are generally stimulating and reward the players with many hours of enjoyment in addition to stimulating their mental capabilities.

Accordingly, this invention provides game apparatus requiring concentration and memorization for accumulating game points and includes a game board having a plurality of similarly shaped, hollow game covering elements or shells. Game playing pieces are provided for placement on the board beneath the inverted shells so that the piaying pieces are concealed from further view of the players. The object of the game is to remember which of the hollow shells are not occupied by playing pieces and to position playing pieces only under those shells. Players who are unable to remember which shells are unoccupied, and attempt to place a playing piece beneath an occupied shell, are penalized.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide game apparatus which is mentally stimulating to the game players.

Another object of this invention is to provide game apparatus having a plurality of shells concealing various playing pieces according to the rules of play and wherein the participants attempt to memorize shells which are unoccupied by playing pieces.

Additional objects of this invention will become apparent to those versed in the art upon an understanding of the following detailed description of the game apparatus and the game play sequence taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which a preferred embodiment of the game apparatus is shown, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional perspective view of the game board and associated apparatus of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, elevational, cross-sectional view of the game board and an inverted shell taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, a planar horizontal game board is shown having a playing surface 11 defining a central game area 12. Game area 12 includes a plurality of fixed areas or spots 14 arranged in any particular pattern on the playing surface. While 24 spots 14 are provided on the game board of the' invention shown in FIG. 1, the number of spots may be varied, although it should be noted that as the number increases, the difficulty of the game increases proportionately. On the other hand, use of fewer spots provides a simpler game which may be suitable for younger children or fewer game players.

A plurality of hollow covering elements or shells 18 are provided for placement on the game board, with one shell being positioned on each of the spots 14. The shells are of generally similar construction but are divided into different groups based on color or shape so that, while shells of different groups are readily distinguishable, those shells within a given group are identical and indistinguishable from other shells in the same group. The shells are movable and easily lifted from the game board.

More particularly, shells 18 are divided into three groups according to their shapes. A first group 20 consists of shells having a circular cross section or shape when viewed from above, a second group 22 consists of shells having a square shape, and a third shell group 24 has a triangular shape. While each group of shells is differently shaped, the shells are similar in their function and of similar construction. coincide sidewalls As best seen in FIG. 2 wherein an elevational crosssectional view of a circularly shaped shell is shown, the shell comprises generally upstanding sidewalls 28 and an integral top wall 30 which together form a hollow cavity 31. The shells are bottomlessand are oriented in an inverted attitude on the game board. Each of the other shells are similarly formed and conveniently fabricated of molded plastic or other suitable material. in addition, the shells may be brightly colored to enhance the attractiveness of the game apparatus. As shown in FIG. 1, the shells are placed on spots 14 and each shell is always replaced on its spot so that it remains in a fixed location relative to the other shells.

The game apparatus further includes a plurality of colored, disc-shaped playing pieces or eventually 34 which are distributed to each player, and also includes a plurality of penalty chips 36. Chips 34 are suitable for placement on the game board beneath any one of the shells so as to be concealed thereby from further view of the players, while discs 36 are merely used for exchange between the players in accordance with the rules of play. Chips 34 are preferably provided in a plurality of colors so that each player initially possesses a number of chips of a single color by which he maybe identified.

Finally, the game apparatus includes chance means 40 in the form of a die having pictorial indicia of the shell shapes on its sides or faces. For example, one face 42 of the die shows a circle while another face 44 illustrates a square and a third face 46 illustrates a triangle. Each of the remaining faces, not shown, of die 40 is similarly marked. The chance means determine which of the particular groups of shells a player must select during his play turn.

Prior to play of the game, shells 18 are randomly positioned on the game board with one shell being placed on each of the spots 14. Chips 34 are distributed to each player so that each player has l0 chips and each of his 10 chips are the same color. An equal number of white penalty chips 36 are also distributed to each of the players. For example, each player may receive 10 penalty chips.

initially, each player in turn places one of his colored chips 34 under a shell with each of the remaining players side-byside under which shells the chips were positioned. A selected player then rolls the die and the indicia on the upward facing side determines which group of shells the player must choose from, to position one of his colored chips thereunder. The player must always place his chip under a shell which is unoccupied and available for placement of a chip thereunder. While memorization and concentration are the keys to winning the game, a player may also rely upon his luck in selecting an unoccupied shell should he fail to recall which of the shells have been previously played.

As the play continues around the board, each player in turn has an opportunity of rolling the die and placing one of his colored chips under a shell 18, depending upon the shape indicia rolled. If the player attempts to place a chip under an occupied shell he is penalized and required to pay the player whose chip occupied the shell, as indicated by its color, one penalty chip 36. lf the player attempts to place a chip under a shell which is occupied by a chip of his own identifying color, he is penalized to a greater extent by being required to pay each of the other players one penalty chip. In addition, the penalized player is required to remove his chip from the board and return it to his chip pile. It should be noted that the penalty chips are never placed on the game board but are only used as penalties to be exchanged among the game players.

The game is completed when one player unsuccessfully places all of his colored chips under the shells or when each of the shells on the board is occupied by a colored chip. The latter condition can easily be determined by first subtracting the number of colored chips remaining in possession of the players from the total original number of playing chips issued to the players, and then subtracting the result from the number of shells on the board.

Additional rules of the game may include the requirement that the player must play the particular indicia shape shown on the die face, regardless of the fact that each of those shapes are occupied by chips. The number of points accumulated by each of the players at the end of the game is the total of the number of penalty chips in his possession plus the number of his colored chips beneath shells on the game board.

What has been described is a memory game comprising a plurality of shells for concealing playing chips, wherein the players attempt to recall which of the shells are available for concealing the chips.

It is obvious that upon study by those skilled in the game art, the disclosed invention may be altered or modified both in its physical appearance and construction without departing from its inventive concept.

What we claim is:

1. Game apparatus comprising a game board including defined areas thereon, a plurality of movable covering elements individually positionable on different ones of said areas and including at least three groups of elements of different shapes, each group consisting of a plurality of said elements, a plurality of definitely identifiable groups of playing pieces said playing pieces being of a size such that each can be concealed under one of said covering elements, a plurality of point value members exchangeable among the players, and chance means bearing chance selectable illustrations of each of said different shapes of said covering elements. 

1. Game apparatus comprising a game board including defined areas thereon, a plurality of movable covering elements individually positionable on different ones of said areas and including at least three groups of elements of different shapes, each group consisting of a plurality of said elements, a plurality of definitely identifiable groups of playing pieces said playing pieces being of a size such that each can be concealed under one of said covering elements, a plurality of point value members exchangeable among the players, and chance means bearing chance selectable illustrations of each of said different shapes of said covering elements. 